Ryan Mallet and the Baltimore Ravens upset the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Paired with a Jets win over the Patriots on Sunday and we may be set the stage for one of the most unusual AFC playoff fields in recent memory.
Both Cincinnati and Denver are a part of the AFC playoff picture (for the moment). However, here is a look at the current collection of AFC quarterbacks to set participate in postseason play if the season ended today.
- Tom Brady (29)
- A.J. McCarron (0)
- Brock Osweiler (o)
- Brandon Weeden/Brian Hoyer (o)
- Alex Smith (3)
- Ryan Fitzpatrick (0)
Obviously, Brady is the most seasoned playoff quarterback with 29 starts and six Super Bowl appearances under his belt. However, his Patriots a far from a slam dunk to reach the Super Bowl due to the team’s rapidly declining health.
After Brady’s 29 starts, the rest of group’s experience falls off a cliff. Only Smith has started in playoff games.
Even if Andy Dalton returns in time, he only has four starts to his credit – all losses.
Incredibly, without Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, the AFC playoff fields looks a lot clunkier.
It features potentially four guys (McCarron, Osweiler, Weeden, Fitzpatrick) who entered training camp as a decisive number two on the depth chart.
Excluding Brady, who would you trust in a playoff scenario?
Smith, who last was seen in the playoffs blowing a 3,043-point lead to the Colts?
Or all the other dudes that don’t have playoff starts?
Man, the AFC playoffs may be a hot mess.
Categories: nfl playoffs
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